In a move that’s being hailed by accessibility advocates and leaders in the deaf and hard of hearing community as a historic step forward, the five-member FCC unanimously adopted rules to facilitate the transition from outdated, analog teletype (TTY) devices to a new, internet-based, real-time text messaging standard (RTT) compatible with the latest smartphones.
As a result of the FCC’s action, the nation’s wireless carriers and device manufacturers will be required to support RTT functionality, which allows real-time text messaging—without the need to hit “send”—in which the recipient can instantly see letters, characters and words as they are being typed.
“We now have the opportunity—as we design our new communications system that is based on internet-protocol—to finally make our nation’s communications systems accessible to everyone,” FCC Chairman Wheeler said at the agency’s monthly meetinglast Thursday.
This innovation will facilitate more natural, conversation-friendly communication for deaf and hard of hearing people—without the need for separate, specialized hardware. It will also allow 911 operators to receive incomplete messages during an emergency, potentially saving lives. RTT technology is expected to be interoperable across wireless networks and devices, creating the potential for unprecedented ease of communication between deaf and hearing people.